What the Gamecocks Learned About their Opponents: Week 4
September 22, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Connor Shaw (14) looks to hand off against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-US PRESSWIRE
The SEC East looks tougher each week, and LSU is not invulnerable.
What else did the Gamecocks learn about their opponents this weekend?
Well, they should be able to rest most of their starters after halftime against Kentucky. Florida stomped them, and Carolina is a 21.5 point favorite for the 7pm ESPN2 contest coming up Saturday. The Wildcats have given SC fits before, but those Big Blue teams never came close to losing to Western Kentucky.
Also, SC’s saving grace against Georgia will be its defense. And maybe homefield advantage. Would I pick Carolina to win if this year’s matchup was in Athens? Probably. Would I be as confident in that pick as I am when I say I’m taking the Gamecocks this year in Columbia? No. There’s no debating who has the better offense, but there’s also no point in debating who’s got a better D. South Carolina has given up one redzone touchdown all year, and they’re fifth in the nation in scoring defense.
Next, like I said, LSU is not invulnerable. But they are still hard to beat. Especially at home. In a rivalry game at Auburn that always seems to take twists and turns, it was an early safety that ended up winning LSU the game. The Gamecocks would have to play their best game of the year and face the Tigers in an offensive funk like they were against War Eagle to get a win in Death Valley.
Florida gets better every week. If South Carolina opened their SEC slate against the Gators at the beginning of September, they would’ve probably been favored to win by at least a touchdown. Now, the way the Gators are playing, I wouldn’t be surprised if Vegas just made this one a pick ’em when the two teams meet in Gainesville.
Tennessee might just be a seven-win team this year. Crazy, because I thought they could challenge Georgia for the second spot in the SEC East standings this year, but it’s true. They had a tough time in the first half with Akron last week, and the head to Athens this Saturday, followed by three more straight games against ranked opponents.
This better be the freaking year South Carolina get’s the Hog off its back. Even with Tyler Wilson, the Razorbacks couldn’t score enough points to beat Rutgers out of the Big East.
Wofford is a good FCS school.
And finally, Clemson’s defense is garbage and we all knew it. Florida State made those of us who forgot that fact remember it when they exploded in the second half of their eventual comfortable win over the Tigers. Clemson’s offensive line doesn’t look good either, and it’s obvious they’ll try to outscore the Gamecocks to end the year… Too bad for them Marcus Lattimore is still on SC’s roster, and he won’t let Sammy Watkins and Co. get on the field much.